Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE

dleodleo

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Thanks Genie47 for sharing such a wonderful post.

I tried searching for Singaporean's Dubai trip report or blog but couldn't find.

As flying via Emirates to Europe, you can have an option of having one nite stopover at Dubai. I am thinking of doing that. Thanks for sharing.

Genie47, how you travel around? Is the public transport expensive? Does female need to wear long sleeves and long pants? Weather hotter than Singapore?

Many thanks
 

genie47

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Thanks Genie47 for sharing such a wonderful post.

I tried searching for Singaporean's Dubai trip report or blog but couldn't find.

As flying via Emirates to Europe, you can have an option of having one nite stopover at Dubai. I am thinking of doing that. Thanks for sharing.

Genie47, how you travel around? Is the public transport expensive? Does female need to wear long sleeves and long pants? Weather hotter than Singapore?

Many thanks

The women no need to wear until like that. Dubai is strangely much more progressive compared to Malaysia or Brunei!

Just that as a woman you have to know your place. Let me tell you their men's attitudes.

We setup a our booth the day before. My manager is a lady. We come back the next day, it is all in a mess. So we started to clean things up but there is this unsightly item in the way. This burly looking Arab guy comes to our booth and tells us he is the organizer, the exhibition opens in a few minutes and he wants this unsightly item out of the way. My manager replied saying that we have set things up well yesterday and apparently "you people messed it up".

Guess how the guy replied?

"DON'T SAY I MESS IT UP! YOU REMOVE THIS ITEM BEFORE EVERYTHING STARTS!"

She suddenly realized she is a very "patriarchal" society. You see she said "you people" but this guy takes it as he is being the one singled out and he being THE MAN, cannot be faulted by a woman and hence his attitude. She kept quiet to let him have his way.

In public a man cannot be seen taking orders or faulted by a woman over in that part of the world.

Hope this doesn't scare you women from going there. Just meekly back away from confrontation with men.

As for their men's behavior, they can get pretty overt in their gawking. There was a group of men checking out the 4ss of one of the women in my party just because she was wearing tight jeans. Patriarchy oh patriarchy! :s13:

If you are visiting the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, there are abayas for rent. The security guards will see if your clothing is fit to enter.

As for transport, taxis are everywhere. Hail one if you need one. Also check out the Dubai Metro. The stations are like space age stuff you see in Star Trek. Very affordable and brings you to the city center as in Deira.

Accommodation is not cheap here but is the cheapest in June because it is the hottest. As for clothes it can get cold at night especially in the desert if you opt for the desert tour. Jeans and T-shirts work well.
 

genie47

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Oh yes, no kissing in public. Not even to your wives. Don't even bend down to help your wife or daughter put on a shoe. You have to touch their leg and you can end up in jail. Archaic but bear that in mind. They are progressive but not that progressive. They are overhauling their laws at this moment. Very slow.
 

dleodleo

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The women no need to wear until like that. Dubai is strangely much more progressive compared to Malaysia or Brunei!

Just that as a woman you have to know your place. Let me tell you their men's attitudes.

We setup a our booth the day before. My manager is a lady. We come back the next day, it is all in a mess. So we started to clean things up but there is this unsightly item in the way. This burly looking Arab guy comes to our booth and tells us he is the organizer, the exhibition opens in a few minutes and he wants this unsightly item out of the way. My manager replied saying that we have set things up well yesterday and apparently "you people messed it up".

Guess how the guy replied?

"DON'T SAY I MESS IT UP! YOU REMOVE THIS ITEM BEFORE EVERYTHING STARTS!"

She suddenly realized she is a very "patriarchal" society. You see she said "you people" but this guy takes it as he is being the one singled out and he being THE MAN, cannot be faulted by a woman and hence his attitude. She kept quiet to let him have his way.

In public a man cannot be seen taking orders or faulted by a woman over in that part of the world.

Hope this doesn't scare you women from going there. Just meekly back away from confrontation with men.

As for their men's behavior, they can get pretty overt in their gawking. There was a group of men checking out the 4ss of one of the women in my party just because she was wearing tight jeans. Patriarchy oh patriarchy! :s13:

If you are visiting the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, there are abayas for rent. The security guards will see if your clothing is fit to enter.

As for transport, taxis are everywhere. Hail one if you need one. Also check out the Dubai Metro. The stations are like space age stuff you see in Star Trek. Very affordable and brings you to the city center as in Deira.

Accommodation is not cheap here but is the cheapest in June because it is the hottest. As for clothes it can get cold at night especially in the desert if you opt for the desert tour. Jeans and T-shirts work well.

Thanks alot for your reply. :s13:
 

dleodleo

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Oh yes, no kissing in public. Not even to your wives. Don't even bend down to help your wife or daughter put on a shoe. You have to touch their leg and you can end up in jail. Archaic but bear that in mind. They are progressive but not that progressive. They are overhauling their laws at this moment. Very slow.

OMG! So strict?
 

madcampus

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Upz for this thread.

Is Dubai expensive to travel compared to like Korea and Japan?

Are there any cheap street food?

How about tourist attractions? Any must-go sites?

Basically I find Dubai a very man-made city (like Singapore) without any natural attractions (besides the desert). But in my opinion, is the most "tourist friendly" Arab place. So was thinking if this might be my next holiday destination.
 

tomicaguy

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Was told that fast food are readily available.

Cheap Indian food can also be found.

Quite keen on Dubai too!
 

genie47

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Upz for this thread.

Is Dubai expensive to travel compared to like Korea and Japan?

Are there any cheap street food?

How about tourist attractions? Any must-go sites?

Basically I find Dubai a very man-made city (like Singapore) without any natural attractions (besides the desert). But in my opinion, is the most "tourist friendly" Arab place. So was thinking if this might be my next holiday destination.

Now accommodation expensive. It is cooler at this time of the year. The hottest is June. So the accommodation prices will fall like mad. Tourist attraction is mainly got there fap to their buildings. Sibeh atas and classy compared to our buildings. Like some Star Trek movie San Francisco.

Go there of course sign up for the desert tour. Ride camel, see belly dancer at night. Abu Dhabi main attraction is the Corniche which is their waterfront. Go check TA for the recommendations.

Cheap food can find but also got expensive food. That Al Mallah is sibeh cheap and good. The other one I went, expensive and same as Al Mallah.
 

genie47

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If I return, I will check out Ras al Khor? It is a swamp/oasis area. A lot of migrating flamingos. Go there with long lens and shoot them.

If you are in Abu Dhabi, check out the Masdar Institute. Like some space age learning centre. Sibeh advance. Got robot cars to take you around the place.
 

tomicaguy

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I go TA and it's like most of the UAE visitors are ang moh.

Do they see Asians (non Arab) no up? :s13:
 

Delsamor

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I go TA and it's like most of the UAE visitors are ang moh.

Do they see Asians (non Arab) no up? :s13:

Becos china people doesn't use TA for info.... I bet there are many china tourist there, their visitors has increased by more than 10% compared to 2012 and many tours are now wooing the china tourist (visa, hotel ect all in one for them sui sui).
 

genie47

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I go TA and it's like most of the UAE visitors are ang moh.

Do they see Asians (non Arab) no up? :s13:

They love East Asians! I go to the Gold Souk, all of them come up to me speak and speak Korean, Japanese and Chinese. "Ni hao! Lai wo de dian kan yi kan! :s13:

Die die want our business. My female friends go there hoot a lot of cashmere scarves. Real cashmere stuff that is not from China.
 

genie47

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Update on this thread. 3 years since my last visit to the UAE. Things have changed. 3 days I was there it rained and the service roads to the hotels on Sheikh Zayed Road flooded. Yep. Flood in a country that is in the desert.

Same same. They love East Asian tourists. They come up to me and call out ni hao but I always reply in English that I say "hello" instead.

Why? I'm aghast by the PRC tourist behaviour or maybe they have not been schooled in what is permitted or not in Islamic places of worship.

I was back at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi again. Free, got air con from the 40 deg heat and worth it for the photos. The Chinese tourists are rather ignorant. They sat and lay down the exquisite carpet in the mosque to take crazy poses for their pictures. Security there is strict and they approach them quickly asking for their cameras and handphones to delete the offending pictures. Producing lots of frowns and bewilderment from them. Some women removed the hoods from the rented abayas for pictures. They were also quickly approached by security to put them back on. One Chinese tourist did a yoga pose for a picture and she too was asked to stop and their picture deleted.

Be reverent when you visit.

Changes? The abaya renting station is now just outside at the carpark. Everyone goes through metal detectors and there is a Coffee Club cafe on site.
 

genie47

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One of the things I did for this trip is cycle 80+ km on the purpose built Al-Qudra Cycle Track in the desert. I went in the evening at 6 PM and cycled into the night till 9:30 PM. Cycling in the desert darkness at night is a wonderful experience. Strong headwinds make some stretches very difficult.
 

Panerex

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Did you bring along much AED or rely on credit cards?

I am heading there in April and will be taking a half day local tour including the Grand Mosque. Will be staying at Ritz Carlton and am wondering if it is near to this cycling track you had fun at.
 

genie47

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Did you bring along much AED or rely on credit cards?

I am heading there in April and will be taking a half day local tour including the Grand Mosque. Will be staying at Ritz Carlton and am wondering if it is near to this cycling track you had fun at.

Credit cards and AED. I got AED from the money changer at Sim Lim Sq. I use GET4X app (on Android and iPhone) to find the money changers with the better rates. Got it at SGD1=AED2.59. Later I ran out of cash and have to go for credit card advance. Not good. SGD1=AED2.37 inclusive of charges and fees.

Cycling track is damn far. My report on the Cycling thread in EDMW.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/107073152-post910.html
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/107073396-post911.html
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/107073396-post912.html
 

genie47

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This visit, booked to go up on the Burj Khalifa. It is expensive. Very expensive because I booked 4:30 PM leading to sunset. If you booked the early morning visit to the top, it will be cheaper. I think it is 6 AM sunrise visit.

Some of the pictures I took. Didn't bring my dedicated camera since I wanted to travel light. Furthermore on business and a lot of business barang to carry. All these are taken by the LG G6.

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clockwise

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Did you bring along much AED or rely on credit cards?

I am heading there in April and will be taking a half day local tour including the Grand Mosque. Will be staying at Ritz Carlton and am wondering if it is near to this cycling track you had fun at.

Hey Panerex, what dates will you be there?

I'm there from 8th to 13th apr. Staying at 4points just opp u

Sent from Samsung SM-N9005 using GAGT
 
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